Glass show-case.



No. @0523. Patented Aug. l3, l90l;

F. x. GANTEB.

GLASS SHOW CASE.

(Application filed July 2, 1900. Renewed Feb. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

(\Rkmesses: 7 Invent 441d? am. A W

Tm: nomm Pm 00., PHoTu-uwa. WASHINGTON, a t- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS X. GANTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GLASS SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,523, dated August 13, 1901.

Application filed July 2, 1900. Renewed February 28, 1901. Serial No. 49,296. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS X. GANTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glass Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means for securing together the plates of glass showcases made without frames and making tight joints at the angles of such plates.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved metal fastener for the glass plates of show-cases and to provide for making a dust-proof joint at the angles of the glass plates, all to be so constructed as to avoid liability of cracking the glass.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a glass show-case without frame in which my metal fastener is shown applied to the angles of the plates. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of one corner, showing the metal fastener applied to the back and one of the side plates and also showing the dust-proof joint. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of another corner of the show-case, showing a mitered joint. Fig. 4 is a section view of the metal fastener and illustrates that in use the bolt-hole enlarged on one side and the rounded screw-head on the other allow the joints of the glass plates to have certain limited movement under strain, whereby to avoid cracking the glass. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of the metal fastener.

The plates are all made of polished glass. The front a, two sides I), and back crest on a suitable base D, and the top plate-e rests on the front and sides. The joint formed at the corners or angles of the back plate a and sides b is shown by the horizontal section in Fig. 2, and the miter-joint formed by the front plate a and sides I) is shown in section in Fig. 3. At the angles or vertical corners where the front plate and side plates are joined (see Fig. 3) I provide for making a dust-proof joint. A suitable channel or groove 7c is out along the mitered vertical edge of the side plate I) and a similar groove is on the edge of the front plate Ct. These two grooves reg ister or come together when the plates are set up and form a passage, and a cord or strip of packing Z is placed in this passage, part of the packing-strip taking in the groove on the two plates. This strip not only serves to make a dust-proof joint, but also serves when the metal fasteners are on as a stay to prevent one plate slipping on the other. The joint between the top plate 6 and the front and sides has similar packing-strips fitted in grooves, which serve, in connection with the top-fasteners, the same purpose. I employ a flat metal plate f, having a bolt-holef and provided at one end with a screw-threaded shank g, projecting in line with the plate. In connection with this shank I employ a tubnlar cap-socket 2', having one end closed by a flanged head i and internally screw-threaded and reamed out at the edge, as at F, to ad mit of being expanded. This socket is entered loosely in a hole m, made in one plate b, (see Fig. 3,) so that the head will have position on the outside. The shank g of the metal plate is then entered from the inner side of the glass plate and screwed into said socket 2'. Then the flat side of the metal plate f will come broadside against the glass plate a. A second tubular socket j, primarily like the one already described, is then entered in a hole 11, formed in the front glass plate ct. This hole is reamed out, as at n, on the inner surface of the glass plate. The

tubular metal socket j is now entered in the hole a, and the reamed-out edge of the metal socket j is then slightly expanded,

as at 7' (shown in Figs. 3 and 7,) so as to partly fill the reamed-out part it of the hole in the glass plate, but not fit it tightly. Such:

socket cannot be drawn out. Thus constructed the two socket-s i j will both be retained in position in the glass plates while the finish-' ing operations of uniting them are effected; but both sockets will be loose or free in their respective holes and not liable to crack the glass plates when thelatter are subjected to strain. The glass plates with these sockets will then be placed together in proper relation to make the joint, and a screw 0, having a rounded head, is entered through the bolthole f in the metal plate f and then into the second tubular socket j and is tightened. Thus the front glass plate and side glass plate are secured together.

In order to permita limited amount of move ment at the joints of the glass plates, due to the fact that they are not supported or stayed by frames of any kind, I have constructed the metal fastener that confines the corners or joints so as to yield to certain strains, and to thus avoid any rigid effect. It has been found desirableto do this where metal fasteners are applied at the angles or corners of two glass plates in showcases having no frames, because any rigidity of attachment of such fasteners is liable to crack the glass plates when pressure or strain occurs.

It has already been pointed out that the metal sockets M are loose in their respective holes in the glass plates and that one or both of said sockets after it has been placed in the hole has its rim edge expanded, as as 9' to confine it and yet afford a limited amount of movement. To further provide for the desired limited amount of movement, the bolthole f in the fiat end of metal plate fis enlarged, as at p, on the side adjacent the expanded socket edge 3' The rounded head of the screw projects from the opposite side of v the metal plate f, where the hole f is smallest. The effect of this construction is to allow the screw 0 to swing or move relative to the plate f, as illustrated on an exaggerated scale in Fig. 4.

The back plate 0 serves as the door.

By this special construction of metal fasteners and packing-joint for glass cases without frames a practical dust-proof joint and a secure corner fastening are provided without such rigidity as is likely to cause the glass plates to crack where the fasteners are attached. If a person should push against a case having this construction, the case would yield a little at the joints without injury to the glass plates.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a glass show-case, the combination of two glass plates forming an angle and in contact, and each glass plate near the angle part having a hole which is reamed out on the inner surface of the plate; two sockets, 'i,j, closed at one end by a headsaid sockets fitting loosely in said holes with their closed heads on the outside and one having an expanded rim edge, 3' partly filling the said reamed-out part of the hole it occupies; a metal plate,f, having a single bolt-hole enlarged on one side and provided with a screwthreaded shank which is entered into one of said sockets-the side of the plate having the enlarged part of the hole being in contact with the inside surface of one glass plate and over the said reamed-out hole; and a screw, 0, entered through the bolt-hole of the metal plate and into the socket having the expanded rim edge, said screw having a rounded head projecting at the side of the plate where the bolt-hole is smallest, as set forth.

2. In a glass show-case, the combination of two glass plates forming an angle and in contact, and each plate provided along the contact-joint with a groove; a packing-strip which takes in the grooves onboth plates; two metal sockets, '5, j, closed at one end by a head and fitting loosely in holes in said glass plates with their heads on the outside and one of said sockets having an expanded rim edge on the inner side of the glass plate; a metal plate, f, having a single bolt-hole enlarged on one side and provided with a screwthreaded shank which is entered into one of said sockets-the side of the plate having the enlarged part of the hole being in contact with the inside surface of one glass plate and adjacent said expanded socket edge; and a screw connecting the metal plate with said expanded socket, whereby the dust-proof joints of the glass plates are securely fastened but are permitted a limited movement to avoid liability of cracking the glass plates.

3. In a glass show-case, the combination of two glass plates in contact and forming a corner of the show-case, and each glass plate near the corner being provided with a hole; two sockets, each of which is inserted in one of said holes; a plate havingascrew-threaded shank in one of said sockets and provided with a bolt-hole; and a screw inserted through and having limited lateral movement in said bolt-hole and entered in the other socket, whereby the glass plates are securely fastened together but are permitted a limited movement to avoid liability'ot' cracking the glass plates, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS X. GANTER.

Vitnesses:

THos. (J. BAILEY, CHARLES L. ViE'rscH. 

